


we’re swallowing light (were swallowing our pride)

by poweradequeen



Series: tumblr prompts [2]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Mutual Pining, a cute taang oneshot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-21
Updated: 2020-06-21
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:48:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,800
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24836416
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/poweradequeen/pseuds/poweradequeen
Summary: taang one shot about mutual piningtitle from taste by sleeping at last
Relationships: Aang/Toph Beifong, Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Sokka/Suki (Avatar)
Series: tumblr prompts [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1796524
Comments: 6
Kudos: 76





	we’re swallowing light (were swallowing our pride)

**Author's Note:**

> prompt: mutual pining

They walked through the town, silently laughing to not to disturb the citizens. Aang could hardly breathe. Times with Toph were always his favourite. Even though the earthbender could be frustrating, more often than not they got along like a house fire. 

Toph suppressed chuckles under her breath. She wasn’t focused on the world around her, so she let Aang guide her. Putting her absolute trust in him. Aang had long forgotten how their laughing fit had started, but whenever either of them said anything, a chorus of laughs would make it start again. 

They set out to explore the town near their campsite. Sokka and Suki went out to find food. Katara and Zuko didn’t need help setting up for dinner which left Toph and Aang to their own devices. Just like old times. Aang covered his arrows so he wouldn’t be mauled by fans. Now, he was almost regretting it. He could feel the sweat starting to form, accumulating around the brim of his hat.

The summer heat, combined with the blood boiling within his veins caused by Toph’s hands curled around his forearm. It was almost becoming too much. Almost. He’d go through anything if it meant he could be close to Toph. Even when she was infuriating, she was the light of his life. The  _ love _ of his life.

Unbeknownst to him, Toph felt the exact same. It had been a learning curve. She had never felt something so strong in her entire life. When she’d been twelve, and she hadn’t been in love with her best friend of seven years, everything had been so much easier. 

When her heart started beating faster around him, her breathing faltering, she had refused to accept it. She was too stubborn to admit to herself that she had fallen for Aang. He had long gotten over what he dubbed his ‘babysitter crush’ on Katara, but she still doubted he’d  _ ever _ think of her like that. She was reluctant to get her heartbroken if that was the case. Neither Suki nor Katara faulted her for that when they eventually found out. 

_ They found out at a Fire Nation celebration. Aang had whisked Toph away, dancing wildly, no fear of being judged. When Toph returned to her seat and Aang returned to the dance floor. The head she had once held up high with the shining grin fell. It was a mix of relief and yearning.  _

_ “Toph? Are you okay?” Katara had asked, her hand resting lightly around her glass. Her clothes were very reminiscent of what she wore when they were fugitives, hiding in plain sight all around the Fire Nation.  _

_ “Yeah, just a little tired, that’s all,” Toph had replied, putting on her cheery façade once again. Suki snickered and Katara scoffed, shaking her head slightly to brush the hair out of her face. _

_ “I’ve seen you tired Toph. This isn’t it,” at Katara’s words, Toph let out a defeated whine. Toph shifted in her seat so she was fully facing both Suki and Katara. _

_ “You have to promise not to tell anyone,” the two girls had hummed in agreement. “I think I might be kind of really in love with Aang.” _

_ Sokka and Zuko, however, had found out almost immediately after Aang did. He and Zuko were firebending, talking with Sokka about how Zuko was reforming the Fire Nation. Halfway through a move Aang stopped, his eyes went wide. His mouth agape. _

_ “Hey, Aang? Buddy? What’s wrong?” Sokka had asked while walking up to the two now that they weren’t shooting fire from their fingertips.  _

_ “I’m in love with Toph,” Aang had said simply. After he’d said it, a grin started to emerge. “Oh my God, I’m  _ in love _ with  _ Toph _!”  _

_ “Okay, I’ll handle the obituary if you handle the food,” Zuko had bargained turning to Sokka. _

_ “Deal. Katara can handle the guests, and Suki can get Toph out of jail for killing Aang,” Sokka had agreed, affirming their arrangements with a handshake. _

_ “Well, it’s not like I can do anything about it anyways. I don’t think she’d  _ ever _ think about me that way. I’ll just live in secret for the rest of my life.” _

Aang and Toph had made their way back to the campsite. They had calmed down, but Toph’s hands still wrapped themselves around Aang’s arm. When Katara saw it, she immediately looked at Zuko, who looked at Sokka, who looked at Suki. Suki glanced at the couple, then to Katara. 

“Katara? Can you come here for a second?” Suki’s eyes were boring into her soul. Katara quickly nodded and walked over to her.

“What’s up?” Suki yanked the water bender down to the log she was sitting on. Making Katara let out a small yelp.

“We need to get those two together. I’m tired of the constant pining,” Suki whispered, careful not to let anybody hear.

“Yeah, but how? It’s not like we can just force them to date,” Katara whispered back.

“Maybe Sokka will know?” 

“It seems suspicious if all of us were crowded around without Aang or Toph.”

“Yeah, that’s true,” Sokka said beside them, scaring Katara enough she almost fell off the log. 

“Oh my God,” it was barely a whisper, her hand was on her chest, her eyes closed tightly. She smacked Sokka's arm after she had somewhat recovered. “You scared me half to death!”

“What are you guys talking about?” Zuko strolled up. The cloth he was holding, now draped over his shoulder. 

“Oh nothing,” Katara assured. She leaned in closer to Zuko, whispering in his ear. “I’ll tell you later.”

“Okay. Anyways, I came over here to tell you dinner is ready,” as the words came out of Zuko’s mouth, Sokka dashed towards the food. Suki rolled her eyes but followed her husband to the table, where Aang and Toph sat. Zuko held a hand out for Katara, helping her off the log.

“Always the gentleman,” Katara teased. Zuko laughed a little, smiling as they joined everybody else. Whenever Aang looked at Toph a small blush would dust his cheeks. He was glad Toph couldn’t see it and he was glad no one else spoke up about it. 

The night progressed without much of a hitch. Aang went to sleep the earliest followed by Toph. It was the perfect opportunity to discuss Katara and Suki’s wonderful plans.

“We need to get Toph and Aang together,” Suki said once it was just the four of them.

“Well, yeah,” Sokka replied. “But it’s not like either of them are going to admit that to each other.”

“Maybe we need to just tell them outright,” Zuko offered up the solution.

“What do you mean? When they wake up just say ‘oh yeah, you guys are in love with each other, here’s breakfast!’” Suki mocked. 

“The looks on their faces would be so good if we did that though,” Katara laughed. “Honestly, I vote we do that just for the shock value.”

“It would be good,” Sokka agreed. “Toph would probably hate us, but it would be good.”

“It’s a price I’m willing to pay,” Suki kept her composure for a few seconds before laughing.

“Alright, who’s going to say it?” Sokka asked. “I vote Katara.”

“What? Why me?” 

“I don’t know, I feel like you would have the best chances of coming out of it alive.”

“That’s a valid point,” Zuko said. “You can go toe to toe with Toph, I’ve seen you do it.”

“Okay so,” Suki started. “Katara will tell them, we will hide in a tree so Toph can’t see us. Aang and Toph will get together or just stop being that tension around wherever they go, at least. There we go, problem solved!”

The four stayed up for a little while longer, the conversation drifting off the topic of the two young, but oblivious, lovebirds. Eventually, they went to bed, Katara was woken up by the smell of the fire pit. 

She got up out of her tent to see Zuko stoking the flames. “You’re up early,” she noticed.

“I rise with the sun. It’s a firebender thing,” he explained. “You ready to end a few years of mutual pining?”

“Yes, I am. I don't deserve to be subjected to their hopelessness any longer. I am much too good for that.”

Zuko rolled his eyes goodheartedly at Katara. He glanced over at Aang’s tent. He saw movement inside of it. “Looks like Aang is up, now we just wait for Toph.”

Aang came out of his tent, taking a seat by the fire. Suki and Sokka got up next. They all, sans Aang, shared an anxious look, knowing what would go down today. 

Toph, eventually, woke up. Katara looked between the two youngest members of their group. Then to Sokka, Suki and Zuko. They silently urged her to follow through with the haphazard plan they had brewed up the previous night. 

“So, the weather is nice today isn’t it?” Katara asked. She received a nod from Aang and a murmur from a Toph. “Almost as nice as it would be if you two admitted your love for each other.”

She tried to sound nonchalant about it, and the high pitched sounds coming from her brother's direction did not help. The choking sounds coming from Aang also didn’t help.

“Our what?” Toph asked, incredulously. Aang was still coughing, trying to recover from almost drowning himself.

“You two are in love. It’s quite obvious when you look at it objectively,” Katara said, maintaining her ambivalent exterior. She was screaming on the inside, but only she knew that. 

“We’re what?” Aang asked, finally able to breathe.

“In love,” Katara was trying so hard to keep calm. Aang turned towards Toph, both of their cheeks so red.

“We are?” Aang asked in response, although it was more aimed at Toph than Katara. Toph could feel how fast Aang’s heart was beating, it could only be rivalled by her own.

“If you are, then there could be a possibility that I am as well,” Toph answered. Her cheeks, if it were even possible, turned a more pigmented shade of red.

“And if I said I was?”

“I would say I am too.” 

“Finally!” Sokka yelled in triumph. “It has been literal years! We are finally free!”

“Here, here!” Suki screamed. “Here is to Katara, for getting them to admit it!”

“You’ve been in love with me for years?” Toph asked.

“Yes,” Aang answered. “I am in love with you, Toph Beifong. I have been for three years.”

“Well in that case, how about we ditch these folks and go on a little adventure?” Toph suggested, her cheeks were still red, but she had a confident smirk on her face.

“Lead the way,” Aang said, taking Toph’s hand in his own and smiling.

**Author's Note:**

> thanks for reading! check out my tumblr [@saang](https://saang.tumblr.com)


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